Two Reviews: Disturb & NOS4A2
by J.A. Konrath
This is the sixth book I’ve ready by J.A. Konrath (aka Jack Kilborn), who has written yet another solid novel. This one might even be my favorite by him. True to his other writing, he does two things incredibly well: he tells a great story; and, he peppers it with his brand of humor throughout. He claims that Disturb has less of that Konrathian humor than his other books, and that may be so, but it’s still there. And it’s good.
I think I once read somewhere that he acknowledges he is more of an entertainer, focused on the story, versus the prose. That’s probably true, and that’s fine, because it is indeed a great story. That’s plenty for most readers.
What really got to me with this book was the main idea–the creation of a pill that replaces the need to sleep. Wow! I thought that was totally cool and we get a solid story placed on that foundation.
If you’re already a fan of Konrath’s, this is a no-brainer. For those looking for an entertaining thriller…no-brainer. It’s a fun and entertaining read.
***** 5 STARS *****
by Joe Hill
I was very impressed with Stephen King’s boy and two of his other novels: Heart-Shaped Box and Horns. I thought they were both incredible, really, and while unsurprisingly similar in a few ways to his old man’s writing (and, duh, genre) he is his own writer with his own flair for the craft.
As with his other novels, this book had a supernatural bent, and focuses on a few special people that have special abilities. As you’d expect, there are good and bad people who have to duke it out. Time travel, or maybe I should say place travel, plays a role in the story…a favorite topic of mine.
His writing continues to be excellent, though I’ll confess I liked Horns more than I liked Heart-Shaped Box, which I liked more than NOS4A2. Still, if you’re a fan of his, you’ll enjoy it–no doubt.
***** 5 STARS *****
COMPARISON: Inadvertently, as I briefly review two books at once, I find myself comparing them. These two guys are definitely heavy hitters, but the writers obviously had different goals. Personally, I think that Konrath edged out Hill with storyline on this one, but NOS4A2 had the better writing/prose.
Another interesting factoid, that has absolutely nothing to do with these two books is that Konrath is a big proponent of self-publishing, very prolific on the topic, while what I’ve read from Hill on it indicates he prefers traditional publishing. Yet, even with these different views, they are both excellent, and successful, writers.
Hope your day rocks,
Bart
